PlayingModes

Playing modes

Contents

1. Hotseat
1. Moderator
1. Dropbox
1. Autosave/load
    1.1 Procedure
    1.2 Details

Hotseat

You can use Rails to play an entire game while seated around one screen on which Rails is run. The playing value of this mode may be doubtful, but in any case this is the primary mode with which Rails is developed and tested. Moderator

A feature called "nomap mode" allows using Rails as a moderator for players around a table, using part of the physical game components. Tile and token lays are done on the board, and only any money shifted will be recorded into Rails. All other activities are entered normally, and so Rails fully accounts for the financial part of the game.

To start this mode.... to be completed

Dropbox

To be completed

Autosave/load

This is a new, experimental feature that allows playing with Rails over the internet in near real-time mode. Game files are saved in a Dropbox, as described above. In this mode, Rails will poll that dropbox if it's not your turn, and only give you control over the game when it is your turn. (N.B. it has been requested to allow entering moves even if it's not your turn - this extension is under consideration)

Please note: this is an experimental feature, and it is not guaranteed to work in all cases and for all games. In particular, special "round" types like the 1856 CGR formation or the 18EU Final Minor Exchange Round can have problems.

Procedure

For each player, you start with loading the same initial saved file, and then go to File|Autosave/load immediately. A popup is displayed, in which you must select “On”. You can also change the polling interval to your liking (default 30 sec.). Press “OK”.

At the start of a game, only the first player should do a normal game start. Pressing “OK” then automatically creates an initial saved file, which then must be loaded by the other players. Still, all players must use the menu and select “On”.

Details

1. Autosave/load is activated by checking a menu option. Steps 2 and 3 apply only if this option has been activated.

2. Every time that an active player loses the turn, the following is done: 2a. A saved file is written to the default location (the first time the usual popup will ask for it) and with the usual filename: .rails. 2b. The name of this file is written into another (new) file, named .last_rails. 2c. Rails goes into polling mode. (Ideally, all actions should be prohibited except Quit and perhaps some more).

3. In polling mode, Rails regularly reads the .last_rails file to check if the filename has changed. The interval is configurable (default 30 secs). If a new filename is found: 3a. This file is read and processed in the same way as Reload does it. 3b. Rails checks if the player has got the turn. If so, polling mode is suspended, and normal operation resumes. Otherwise, polling mode continues.

4. When Rails is restarted for an ongoing game, the last saved file must be loaded manually. Autosave/load can only be activated after that. If the local player does not have the turn, Rails will enter polling mode at that point.

Notes:

1. Normally, each game should use a separate directory. In theory it should be possible to run multiple games in one directory, if each game is given a unique at the first save action, but this is not recommended.
2. Repeated reloading during polling mode ensures that actions by other players show up with a reasonable delay.
3. It does not matter if a saved file is missed because the interval is longer than the time between two saves by other players. Each saved file contains the whole game history.